Nymphaea georginae

Nymphaea georginae is a species of waterlily native to the Northern Territory, and the state of Queensland, Australia.^[2]

Nymphaea georginae
Conservation status
Special Least Concern (NCA)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Order:	Nymphaeales
Family:	Nymphaeaceae
Genus:	Nymphaea
Subgenus:	Nymphaea subg. Anecphya
Species:	N. georginae
Binomial name
Nymphaea georginae S.W.L.Jacobs & Hellq.[2]
Nymphaea georginae is native to the Northern Territory, and the state of Queensland, Australia.[2]

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Nymphaea georginae is a perennial plant with 4 cm wide, globose rhizomes. The orbicular to elliptic, 60 cm wide floating leaves have dentate margins.^[3]

Generative characteristics

The fragrant flowers can extend up to 30 cm above the water surface. The flowers have 4 sepals, and 12-26 petals. The androecium consists of 150-250 stamens. The gynoecium consists of 7-19 carpels. The 4 cm wide, globose fruit bears globose to subglobose, 2.5-4 mm wide seeds with interrupted rows of 0.1-0.15 mm long trichomes. The flowers are the most fragrant flowers within Nymphaea subgenus Anecphya.^[3]

Taxonomy

Publication

It was first described by Surrey Wilfrid Laurance Jacobs and Carl Barre Hellquist in 2006.^[2]

Type specimen

The type specimen of Nymphaea georginae was collected by S. Jacobs and C. B. Hellquist in the Georgina River in Camooweal, Queensland, Australia on the 19th April 2005.^[3][4]

Placement within Nymphaea

It is placed in Nymphaea subgenus Anecphya.^[3]

Etymology

The specific epithet georginae refers to the Georgina River, which is the type locality.^[3]

Conservation

The NCA status of Nymphaea georginae is Special Least Concern (SL).^[1]

Ecology

Dry river bed of the Georgina River, Camooweal

Habitat

Nymphaea georginae grows in billabongs and flood channels, habitats characterised by prolonged periods of drought and equally extended wet periods.^[3]